Merry and Bright Fruitcake

I am not a fruitcake admirer.  It has a well-earned reputation for heavy stodginess.

Nevertheless, I am an admirer of tradition, and the only thing with more Christmas tradition than fruitcake would be perhaps figgy pudding.  This is an updated fruitcake.  It is bright and citrusy and fresh as the smell of pine boughs.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I and our merry band of carolers do!

Cake:

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cardamom

3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 lemon zest (1-2 tsp)

1 orange zest (apprx. 1 Tbsp)

1 cup butter

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

3 whole eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup buttermilk

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced

¾ cup chopped pecans

½ cup roughly chopped dried cherries

½ cup chopped apricots

Lemon Frost:

¾ cup confectioner’s sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons whipping cream

Combine all ingredients in small bowl.  If necessary, add a little more whipping cream to thin to drizzling consistency.  Frost should stream easily from spoon and form little ribbons in the bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom and citrus zest in a medium mixing bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes on medium speed).   Add eggs one at a time, incorporating each one thoroughly before adding the next.  Add the vanilla extract and lemon juice and mix to combine.  Scrape bowl. 

Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk into the butter mixture in three batches and stir until well combined.  When the batter is cohesive, add the apples, pecans, and dried fruit.

Pour into your favorite bundt pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. 

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a cocktail stick inserted comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Drizzle with lemon frost.

Jordan Durbin

Second-generation homeschooling mom of five wee snickbuzzards, Jordan Durbin is a maker of humble pottery, fine artist, calligrapher, gardener, pickle maker, baker of all things gluten-inclusive and butter-laden, violinist, vocalist, rabbit raiser, wife of one good man, lover of her blessed Redeemer.  She has a Bachelor’s degree in fine art from Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana.  She is an avid coffee drinker, reader, and published children’s book author and illustrator.  She aspires to proclaim the resurrection with every moment of her life.

www.thepotteress.com%20